UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting India for the first time from 8th to 9th October 2025, after having been invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This visit comes at a moment to take the relationship forward coming just months after Modi’s trip to the UK. The Starmer’s itinerary for two days is full of high-profile meetings and public engagements intended to augment the evolving partnership between the two democracies.
India-UK Strengthening the Vision 2035 Roadmap
The discussions will be the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is anchored by the Vision 2035 roadmap. This long-term framework will formulate an agenda for cooperation in areas of trade and investment, technology, defence, health, climate action and education. The visit is expected to appraise current developments and to open new avenues in which bilateral cooperation enhanced across sectors.
On October 9, Starmer and PM Modi will meet with Indian industry leaders at Mumbai were discussing new opportunities emerging from the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The two leaders will also address the Global Fintech Fest, interacting with innovators and professionals in the field of financial technology.
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What is India-UK Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement?
The CETA introduced which encompasses a bilateral trade agreement entered into in July 2025, transforming the entire bilateral trade landscape with 99% approx of targets for Indian exports are now tariff-free with an elimination of duties on 90 percent of goods produced in the UK. Key sectors benefiting from these changes include textiles, engineering goods, footwear, gems and jewellery and marine products.
The Services and good benefiting from a liberally liberalised visa regime for Indian professionals including chefs, architects, yoga trainers and IT consultants and will also have added amenities such as the Double Contribution Convention which frees Indian firms from dual social security contributions.
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What are strategic facility with Long-Term Impact?
Starmer’s India trip has directly grown out of that which was generated during Modi’s July visit to the UK where the defence co-production roadmap was also finalised with the free trade agreement to be operational by 2026, projections indicate a two-way trade upswing by about $35 billion along with much growing potential in economic growth, job creation and strategic alignment.
This visit is being closely monitored as a landmark event that would officially translate political goodwill into tangible realisation outcomes and marking a redefinition of the future of India-UK relations.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational use only. For official updates on diplomatic visits and trade agreements, refer to government sources and announcements.
